The tapping of wooden binding boards sounded rhythmically from behind the corridor wall.
Susu——
The longhouse seemed to be afraid of something, trembling slightly, and the water in the barrel rippled.
There were oil lamps hanging in the corridor that emitted a dim light, and the sounds of conversation could be heard from the rooms to the corridor.
Wuwuwu——
A shrill whimper rumbled through the corners of the deserted street.
Three or four children and teenagers in the longhouse gathered behind the door, stepping on sandbags, and the short ones stood on tiptoes to peek outside through the cracks in the wooden door.
The oppressive sky and dim streets seemed like night was approaching.
Raindrops falling in patter, but as big as small insects. Empty cans that were carried by the strong wind, clanking and rolling by. Passers-by who returned home too late, struggling to walk in the strong wind.
Horrifying and oppressive clouds filled the sky over Belfast, hiding purple thunder.
The sound of knocking on wooden boards disappeared.
Suddenly a white light tore through the darkness and illuminated the entire city. As it disappeared, a thunderous sound sounded over the city, as if it was exploding in the ears.
Several children screamed in fright and ran to their homes noisily.
"careful!"
A resident holding a few boards and a hammer hanging from his waist walked towards him. He quickly stepped aside and raised the boards to avoid the children running by. Shaking his head helplessly, he came to the door, put down a few boards, and picked up one of the boards.
Stapled to the gapped door panel.
The rhythmic percussion sounded again.
…
After taking off his dirty and wet woolen coat, Lu Li, who was unbuttoning his shirt, walked out of the bedroom and closed the half-open door.
The sound of running in the corridor became fainter.
The oil lamp on the desk emitted a steady light. Anna stood in front of the window, looking out at the approaching storm. Her translucent pale cheeks were reflected on the glass.
Lu Li walked to the desk, took away the burned matchstick that the sculpture was holding, rubbed off the burnt stains on its fingertips, carried the sculpture back behind the door, and returned to the bedroom to continue changing clothes.
"How long will the storm last?"
Anna's eyes followed a staggering pedestrian until he disappeared into a blind corner.
Lu Li's voice came from the bedroom: "Three to five days, that's what the radio said."
Anna pursed her lips, and there was a hint of hesitation in her cold scarlet eyes.
She was worried about Annie's condition and whether she could survive the storm. But she couldn't let Lu Li take the risk and run out of the city in the storm.
The rustling sounds in the bedroom disappeared, and a figure walked out of the bedroom.
Anna's eyes fell on the reflection on the window, and then condensed.
"What are you going to do?"
She saw Lu Li put on a brand new set of clothes.
Lu Li tied on his black tie, raised his head and said to Anna, "Go to the refuge."
…
Bang bang... bang!
After binding a piece of wood, the carpenter lowered his head to take another piece. He suddenly noticed his shadow extending forward and looked back: "...Mr. Lu Li, do you want to go out? A storm is coming soon."
Lu Li was wearing a poncho and carrying an oil lamp: "I'll pay attention."
"Okay...I'll open the door for you."
The carpenter quickly moved the sandbag behind the door, held the door latch, and looked back at Lu Li.
"Thank you." Lu Li put on his hood.
The carpenter lifted the door latch, and a huge force suddenly came from behind the door, and the wet wind rushed into the corridor.
The oil lamp squeaked and swayed, and Lu Li pulled the edge of his hood to prevent it from being blown open by the wind.
After stepping over the sandbags, Lu Li lowered his head and walked to the wind-swept street. The wooden door with crooked boards behind him was reopened by the carpenter and the latch was hung up.
The empty streets were filled with only a few figures hurriedly passing by.
The terrifying dark clouds have all shrouded Belfast, and only the sky on the back of the mountain is still light-colored clouds. It looks like an unspeakable existence emerging from the abyss of the sea and touching the land.
Before the heavy rain officially fell, Lu Li came to the carriage shop.
Walking into the carriage shop that smelled of grass and horse manure, the clerk regretfully told Lu Li: "I'm sorry, sir, we can't provide carriages in this weather."
"More money."
The clerk looked embarrassed: "The weather is too bad, unless you are willing to pay half the price than usual and bear the cost of the horse's injuries."
The four deep-sea stones used up the 50,000 shillings given by the baron and Lu Li's entire savings. Now he only has the investigator's weekly salary of 700 shillings left. However, the carriage is a necessity, and he still has to go to the old craftsman to get it back.
still, and brought four deep-sea stones from the Elm Street warehouse to the top of the cliff.
After paying the rent and waiting for a few minutes, when the rain outside became noticeably heavier, the clerk led a horse-drawn carriage wearing a simple poncho on the street.
"The hay in the car can be fed to it in the evening and morning." The clerk said as usual.
Taking the reins, Lu Li stepped onto the carriage, fixed the oil lamp on the wooden board beside him, and drove away.
The horses' ponchos fluttered, and Lu Li's hood was blown off by the wind.
The wind poured into the carriage, making a shrill whistling sound, which suddenly disappeared after a few seconds. It was still raging on the street, but it could not affect the carriage.
Anna uses her powers to protect the carriage from the storm."
Normally doing this might attract the attention of exorcists, but now there are almost no pedestrians on the streets.
The rain is getting heavier and heavier, the light and figures in the windows on both sides of the street have become hazy, and the heavy rain has enveloped the entire city, as if it were covering the sky. The thunder has changed from the occasional sound at the beginning to continuous, and occasionally it will explode.
Terrible thunder.
This bad weather reminded Lu Li of the hurricane he encountered in Shadow Swamp, but it wasn't that despairing.
…
Bang bang bang——
The door trembled uneasily.
With nowhere to go, deep in the cabin filled with debris, a figure raised its head.
Putting down the ax handle he was installing, the old craftsman slowly walked to the door.
call--
The wind rushed into the room, blowing open the corners of the old man's clothes, revealing his wrinkled belly.
"I thought only creditors would come to us in this weather."
The old craftsman turned around and walked back. Lu Li came in behind him and closed the door.
The old craftsman pulled out three ready-made stills from the accumulated debris and pointed at them: "The still you want, if you still want to build it-"
"I need five more."
The old craftsman paused, as if thinking: "Why do you want so many of these things?"
"use."
"I have no reason to refuse." The old craftsman looked at Lu Li deeply and said nothing. He returned to the desk and continued to install the ax handle with the help of an oil lamp.
Lu Li picked up the three stills and said, "I'll give you the money next time."
The old craftsman waved his hands without raising his head, indicating that he understood.
He left the cabin with the still, and Anna helped close the door behind him.
After a short pause, the carriage continued driving.
After a period of time, Anna suddenly reminded Lu Li: "There is a ghost's breath, just ahead."
Lu Li followed the direction Anna was pointing and saw a figure in a translucent long dress standing by the road under the streetlight. Sensing the approaching carriage, the ghost raised its head, revealing a confused face.
Lu Li looked away and saw a wet and incomplete missing persons notice posted on the street lamp.
